


Just This Time

by roaldcore



Series: What it's like to be enamoured with Hinata Shouyou [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Manga Spoilers, mostly just in setting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:14:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24617401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roaldcore/pseuds/roaldcore
Summary: Kei is one second away from firing off some snide comment— most likely about Shouyou’s height, or how he looks like a nerd with his glasses (ignoring the fact that Kei is also wearing glasses)— but Shouyou is even closer now, so he smells that much nicer, and his weight pressing Kei into the kitchen counter is warm and familiar. God, he’s gone soft.In which, after a year of being apart, Shouyou surprises Kei for his birthday.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Tsukishima Kei
Series: What it's like to be enamoured with Hinata Shouyou [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1779751
Comments: 26
Kudos: 285





	Just This Time

**Author's Note:**

> nyello ! finally another tsukihina fic aaaa !! this is written as a loose sequel to [Bespectacled](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22983433) but this can totally b read on its own !! (the only important notes is like.. hinata has glasses and a couple tattoos dofjsodfs) 
> 
> anyway hope u enjoy !!

A year apart so far was difficult but not impossible. Kei had learned over time with Hinata that there really wasn’t all that much meaning to the word ‘impossible’ when it came to the two of them.  
  
They had been together for almost a year when Hinata was to leave for Brazil. Kei had already known that Hinata was planning to leave even before they had dated, but despite the upcoming distance, he didn’t find himself all that bothered. It would be a long time apart and it would be at quite a distance, but truly, he couldn’t see himself with anyone else. _That_ was something that was impossible.  
  
Blame Kei for being head over heels in love, but although they hadn’t really talked about it, he assumed that they would stay together when Shouyou was to leave. Kei was completely ready to put in the work. So, when Shouyou had suggested a month before he left that they should break up, one could imagine Kei’s surprise and subsequent panic.  
  
“Break up?” Kei mumbled, his breath already growing quick and uneasy. He could already feel his eyes beginning to well up and if he wasn’t so freaked out, he would have the sense to be embarrassed.  
  
Immediately, Shouyou’s eyes widened and he gathered Kei’s hands in his and squeezed them the way he always did to calm the taller boy down. “Hey— it’s okay,” Shouyou soothed, “I don’t _want_ to break up, but I’ll be away for two years! Two years, Kei. That’s longer than our whole relationship so far and I could never ask that of you. I love you so much but that would be too selfish.”  
  
The cogs turn in Kei’s head as he contemplates Hinata’s explanation and it doesn’t take long for him to grow upset, furiously wiping his eyes of tears. “Huh?” he glowers, drawing a hand away from his boyfriend’s grip and using it to poke the redhead in the chest, “Just how little do you think of me, shrimp?”  
  
“Wha—” Hinata sputtered.  
  
“You really think I’m some weak loser that can’t hold on for two years? We’re not breaking up. There’s no way!” Kei quipped, “Unless this is just some ploy so you can date pretty Brazilian boys instead!”  
  
“Wha— no! Kei be reasonable!” Shouyou chided, “It’s a long time apart and I just don’t want a messy break up.”  
  
Shouyou’s eyes are glued to the ground and his brow furrows and Kei already feels himself soften. “Well do you love me?” Kei asks, taking Hinata’s hands in his again.  
  
“Obviously,” he huffs.  
  
“Then we’ll stay together. Easy,” Kei says simply, “You forgot that _I’m_ selfish and that I really love you and don’t wanna break up no matter what.”  
  
When Hinata peers up at Kei, he spots the familiar blush sitting high on his cheeks and the stubborn jut of his pout and finds himself grinning. Without any hesitation, he pulls Kei closer by his waist until they’re chest to chest. “You know, even if we did break up just now, I would just steal you from whoever you were dating in two years when I came back anyway,” Hinata insists.  
  


* * *

It had been a year since then, and true to his word, Kei wasn’t some weak loser that couldn’t take the time apart. They were doing just fine. The time difference took some getting used to, but it didn’t stop them from texting everyday and calling when they could. Naturally, Kei missed Hinata’s touch and the feeling of his warmth right next to him that he had grown accustomed to, but when that feeling came, he would remind himself that what they had was better than the alternative of being broken up and having nothing. And he knew that when they reunited eventually, it would be that much better.  
  
The absence of physical touch is replaced by weekly video calls and a daily selfie that Shouyou insists on sending, along with other photos that he would sprinkle in of things he thought were cool that he wanted to share with Kei. Although he doesn’t admit it too freely, Kei greedily eats up every photo of Shouyou that he gets and savours them.  
  
After a while, he feels a little guilty that he doesn’t send much of anything to Hinata, so in turn he starts sending his own photos of his college classes or hangouts with Yamaguchi; even an outfit of the day when he’s feeling particularly in love (which is all too often, he thinks).  
  
One day, Shouyou doesn’t send a selfie and Kei fears that he’s dead, but when he asks about it, he can’t help the way his heart sinks when his boyfriend mutters over the phone that, “I feel like I’m annoying you, Kei.”  
  
All at once, Kei is relieved over the situation and upset at himself, so he orders into the receiver, “Hand it over.”  
  
“Huh?” Hinata fumfers.  
  
“The selfie,” Kei grunts out but can’t help the growing grin on his face, “You’re never annoying me. Give me my selfie.”  
  
“Really?” Shouyou asked, and Kei could already hear the brightening of his spirits.  
  
“Yes,” then he pauses, “Please.”  
  
“Okay great!” Shouyou gushes, always the quick one to snap back, “Because I was at the gym today and I took this nice selfie for you but then I was too nervous about it— I’ll just send it.”  
  
Kei’s phone chimes and he’s quick to open it. He instantly regrets ever reassuring Hinata however because in the photo he’s shirtless and tan and his muscles are shiny with sweat and he’s winking and Kei can practically feel the steam erupting from the top of his own head.  
  


* * *

When September roles around, Kei can feel the weight of Shouyou’s absence. He really isn’t one to care for his birthday, but Shouyou was with him during it last year and they had kissed until he thought he would die. Now that isn’t even an option and it’s a depressing feeling. He tries however, to push it down because it’s not like he was there for Shouyou’s birthday either a few months ago, so it would have to be something they would both have to bear.  
  
(On Shouyou’s birthday, Kei still gave him a neatly packaged love letter through the mail and now, Kei could spy it on the older boy’s night stand whenever they’d video call.)  
  
They’re video calling one morning before class and Shouyou quickly picks up on the sullen look on his boyfriend’s face. “Are you sad about your birthday coming up?” Shouyou asks. It’s night time for him so he’s already in his pajamas with his glasses perched on his nose. His top is a t-shirt that Kei gifted him last year and as cute as his boyfriend looks, Kei can’t help the sunken feeling in his chest.  
  
“A little,” he admits with a shrug, “I’m trying not to get upset because I know that you spent your birthday alone too, but it still sucks.”  
  
Shouyou’s gaze through the camera is soft when he looks at him. “I’ll be there before you know it, I promise,” he coos.  
  


* * *

When Shouyou said that he would be there before Kei knew it, the blonde had assumed that he meant it metaphorically, so when the redhead showed up at his doorstep four days before his birthday, Kei’s shock was honestly, fair.  
  
It’s 8am when he arrives at Kei’s apartment with a sharp knock on the door and blinding grin. Kei is barely awake when he opens the door, so it takes a good minute and a half for things to click in his brain. Still, Shouyou stands there for the full minute and a half with his arms spread wide and his smile wider.  
  
Kei doesn’t consider himself to be a crier. The last time he cried was well— he doesn’t really know. But when he finally processes that Hinata Shouyou is right in front of him with light bags under his eyes and tan lines on his biceps, Kei is full on bawling.  
  
“WH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE SHOUYOU?!” Kei wails, hiccuping intermittently, “HOW ARE YOU HERE RIGHT NOW? SHO— SHOUYOU!” Kei knows he’s yelling and that he can’t stop crying but his heart is racing a mile a minute and he’s never felt so happy (or overwhelmed) in his life.  
  
Without a word, Shouyou slides his suitcase into Kei’s entryway and shuts the door behind himself before scooping Kei up into his delightfully muscular arms and bringing him to the couch where Kei continues to sob into his neck. Over the next ten minutes, Kei goes through a million different emotions, all while crying and kissing Shouyou all over while the happily smug boy takes it all. He goes from “How did you even get here?!” to “Oh my god I love you— ” to “THIS IS SO IRRESPONSIBLE.” back to “I love you, I love you, I lov— ” then to “How are you so buff now?” and finally back to “— love you, Shouyou.”  
  
Eventually, Kei is able to start breathing normally again and Shouyou is quick to rub the tears from his face with his thumbs and then the embarrassing snot under his nose with his t-shirt. “Are you okay, baby?” Shouyou asks sweetly, with a hint of teasing in his tone. Usually any kind of teasing from Shouyou would have Kei huffing and puffing to no end, but he’s just been called _baby_ in person for the first time in a year and the way it makes his heart swell and his skin tingle is enough for any malicious quip to die down. He’s aware that he’s over 6 feet tall and an adult now, but lets himself curl up in Shouyou’s lap and leans into the soft kisses at the corner of his mouth and the hand in his hair anyway.  
  
They take some time to bask in each others’ presence and murmur sweet things between kisses but eventually they have to get up to get things settled. “Should we get up?” Kei whispers against Shouyou’s cheek.  
  
“I don’t know, should we?” Shouyou wonders.  
  
“We should,” Kei sighs. With a groan he crawls out of his boyfriend’s lap and pulls him up with him. “Let’s put your stuff away.”  
  
Shouyou makes an affirming noise before grabbing his suitcase from the entryway and trailing behind Tsukishima. Kei gives a quick tour of his one-bedroom apartment; he tells Shouyou where the bathroom is, and where the laundry room is, and also points to the small linen closet. When they arrive at his bedroom, he can’t help but smile when Shouyou exclaims, “Wow! It’s just like in our video calls!”  
  
Tsukishima slides Shouyou’s suitcase into the corner of his room while the shorter boy acquaints himself with the features of the room. Shouyou is chatty as always as he peeks around the room and fiddles with Kei’s trinkets; he’s gapes in awe at Kei’s college volleyball team jersey and he marvels at the softness of his bed when he flops onto it like a starfish. Kei forgets if he locked the door, so he leaves his boyfriend be while he goes to check on it. While he’s out of the room, Shouyou calls out to him, “I’ll make you breakfast later, okay?”  
  
Kei hums in agreement, loud enough for Shouyou to hear before making his way back to the room after confirming that the door _was_ locked, most likely by Shouyou amidst the blonde’s crying fit. He’s no longer feeling as overwhelmed about the situation but what he _is_ is positively giddy that _Shouyou is really here_.  
  
When he’s in the hallway, Kei notes the silence as he approaches his room— the lack of sound, not really well associated with his boyfriend— and peers in, only to see the redhead passed out on his bed. The trip must’ve been hellishly long and uncomfortable and Kei can’t help but feel all-consumed by love for the lengths his boyfriend would go just to make his upcoming birthday perfect.  
  
As softly as he can, Kei slides onto the bed beside his boyfriend and lays against his own arm while he watches the rise and fall of Shouyou’s chest as he breathes and the shadow that his lashes cast on his cheeks from the barely risen sun.  
  
(When Shouyou wakes up a few hours later, the sleeping form of his boyfriend beside him is the first thing he sees and he can’t help but smile before letting out a quiet yawn. He removes Kei’s glasses from his face and puts them on the bed beside him before getting up as discreetly as possible to tip-toe to the kitchen to make breakfast as promised.)

* * *

“So how _are_ you even here?” Kei asks while he cut into his pancakes. (They’re heart-shaped and Kei feels himself swooning all over again). He had woken up about a thirty minutes after Shouyou did and it was to the smell of pancakes and the sound of light singing coming from the kitchen.  
  
“I’ve been planning this for about a month and a half I think?” Shouyou muses while digging into his own pancakes, “I knew I wanted to visit at some point and your birthday was coming up, so I just asked Tadashi when would be the best time to come, in terms of how free you’d be, and he said now was good because you just finished midterms, right?”  
  
Shouyou is nonchalant in the way he explains himself but Kei is completely in awe, feeling a bit of pride swirling in his chest at how well thought-out this seemed to be. He _and_ Shouyou from two years ago would have absolutely laughed at the prospect of the redhead being any kind of prepared over something other than volleyball. “And how long are you staying?” Kei asks, swallowing down the urge to leap over the table dining table and kiss the life out of Shouyou. He shoves further down the larger urge to ask Shouyou to stay forever, because that would just be counterproductive.  
  
“Two weeks, if that’s cool,” Shouyou beams at him.  
  
“It’s more than cool,” Kei laughs, “Seriously, thank you for coming, you have no idea how happy I am, you’ve made like, my whole year.”  
  
“Good,” Shouyou chirps, “Because I wanna take you on like, a million dates before I leave. Just tell me what your schedule is gonna be like, and let’s work things out.”  
  
Kei tells him that since midterms are over, he’s off for the week but has to go back to school the following week, which has Shouyou sighing that he’ll just be Kei’s house husband for that week then while Kei wins them bread. After they finish eating, Kei shoos his boyfriend off to take a shower while he cleans up. While he washes dishes, he has to bite back a grin at the sound of Shouyou singing somewhat badly from the bathroom. In his brain, he _knows_ Shouyou is here, but every new moment with him is all too amazing to Kei.  
  
When Shouyou is finished showering, he pads back into the kitchen to a Kei that’s just finishing wiping the counters and the table. “Babe, I’m clean now, so let’s make out!” Shouyou grins wolfishly.  
  
Kei turns to him to say something snarky but the words catch in his throat at the sight of his boyfriend in a cozy sweater and shorts, glasses perched high on his nose and orange hair still damp. It’s a simple grey sweater and a matching set of shorts— truly nothing special— but his boyfriend looks soft, but also strangely manly with his tan, strong-looking legs and the accent of a firm chest under the sweater. Also even from a few feet away, Shouyou smells faintly of Kei’s soap and the domesticity is making Kei dizzy. Shouyou looks a little confused at first with Kei’s lack of response, but falls into a smirk when he realizes that the blonde is ogling him and hiding a blush behind a hand pressed to his cheek.  
  
“You alright there?” Shouyou asks, a teasing lilt in his voice as he steps a little closer so he can sneak his hands under Kei’s shirt to hold his waist. His hands are warm as always and Kei can’t suppress the shiver that runs down his spine.  
  
Again, Kei is one second away from firing off some snide comment— most likely about Shouyou’s height, or how he looks like a nerd with his glasses (ignoring the fact that Kei is also wearing glasses)— but Shouyou is even closer now, so he smells that much nicer, and his weight pressing Kei into the kitchen counter is warm and familiar. _God_ , he’s gone soft. Instead, he doesn’t answer, in favour of leaning down a little to capture Shouyou’s lips in his own. The shorter boy lets out a small surprised noise before relaxing into it, kissing back eagerly and rubbing his thumbs idly against the skin of Kei’s waist.  
  
When they separate, Shouyou’s eyes widen a little and Kei can practically _see_ the lightbulb switch on over his head. “Ah!” Shouyou exclaims, stepping a little away from Kei, and the blonde barely manages _not_ to let out a whine at the loss, “I need to go buy some soap, so I don’t use up all of your’s.”  
  
“It’s fine,” Kei mumbles, closing the gap again to press his face between the junction of Shouyou’s neck and shoulder and admits, “You smell nice like this.”  
  


* * *

Being with Hinata again is amazing. Kei had gone on and on about how he wasn’t some weakling that couldn’t handle a long distance relationship— and he still stood by that statement— but having Shouyou actually there with him is incomparable to anything else. Being able to fall asleep with his limbs tangled in Shouyou’s and to kiss him while they drift off together makes Kei feel like his heart is gonna burst. When he wakes up, the bed is often empty, but Kei doesn’t mind because Shouyou has always been an early-riser. If Kei manages to wake up early, he can peer in on Shouyou’s morning meditation on his balcony. If he wakes up a little later, it’s to the smell of breakfast, or better yet, a kiss on the forehead and _then_ a soft beckoning to eat from the redhead.  
  
Some nights, they’re wild and boisterous; watching silly horror films that Kei swears he’s above, but still finds himself screaming alongside Shouyou and practically jumping into his lap for protection. On those nights, they decide to bake some random dessert on a whim (usually while a little inebriated) and end up with batter stains on their clothes and faces, laughing loud and kissing between giggles on the floor.  
  
On other nights, they’re quiet and subdued, but equally in love. They don’t say much, but that’s because they don’t have to, and seem to understand and move around each other like water. On these nights, they sit on the balcony and watch the world below with their hands intertwined to match their hearts. On these nights, Shouyou somehow manages to convince Kei to dance with him in the kitchen as low and soft music plays in the background. Kei isn’t a dancer— he’s never really seen the appeal, but when Shouyou’s head is pressed to his chest following the thrum of his hearbeat, and he has one hand cradling the small of his back, and another in the blonde’s own, Kei understands. While they sway together, he _really_ does get it. They feel like one spirit under the dim kitchen lights.  
  
Tonight, they’re laying together on Kei’s bed, not really talking about anything. Shouyou’s shirtless because he claims that he runs hot and Kei knows that it’s mostly true, but he suspects a little bullshit in the claim— the redhead just likes being shirtless around Kei because he knows what it does to the blonde. Kei is half mad and half relishing in it. Kei is tracing the baby’s breath tattoo on Shouyou’s rib with a finger while the elder talks about this stray cat he sees often by his apartment in Brazil.  
  
“I’m thinking of getting another tattoo,” Shouyou muses, tucking a hand under his head.  
  
“Of what?”  
  
“Dunno yet,” he pauses, then grins, “Maybe I’ll just get a huge red heart on my bicep with your name in all caps so the ladies know I’m taken.”  
  
“The ladies?” Kei scoffs, flicking Shouyou’s shoulder halfheartedly. He knows that Shouyou is joking and he himself thinks that it’s one of Shouyou’s stupider ideas, but the idea of people in Brazil knowing that Shouyou is all his makes his heart thump a little louder in his chest. _Gross._  
  
“Okay, then maybe we should just run away and get married sometime,” Shouyou huffs out a small laugh.  
  
Okay _now_ Kei’s heart was hammering. “Don’t say silly things,” he chides.  
  
Shouyou turns to lay on his side so he’s facing Kei. ”Okay, maybe running away is silly, but if it was legal here, I’d like to get married someday to you. Maybe we can do it in Brazil,“ the redhead says easily.  
  
Kei’s face is suddenly flaming the same way it was the night the shorter boy had asked him out. “Really?” he _squeaks_.  
  
“Well, yeah,” Shouyou quirks an eyebrow at him, “Why, did you not want to?”  
  
Guilt bubbles in his chest at the sullen glint in his boyfriend’s eyes, and he’s quick to amend his statement. “No— I do!” he exclaims too swiftly and chokes on air, “ _I do_. I was just surprised. I didn’t know you think about that kind of stuff.”  
  
“Of course I do!” Shouyou grumbles, “I’m stupid but I’m also in love with you, so of course I do. No need to be a jerk about it.”  
  
“That’s not what I mean,” Kei frets, “Shouyou sometimes when I’m bored I think about what our wedding will be like. I think about the kind of tux you’ll wear and what kind of flower arrangements we’ll choose. I think about what our colour scheme will look like and what’ll be on the wedding playlist. It makes me happy that you think about this stuff too— that you wanna be with me the way that I wanna be with you.”  
  
“Kei, I flew halfway around the world to see you on your birthday,” Shouyou chuckles, “This isn’t something I just do to pass the time. I love you.”  
  
“I know that,” Kei pouts a little, “I _know_ but like, sometimes I forget— my fault not your’s.”  
  
“Is it because I’m far away?”  
  
“No, not at all actually,” he shakes his head, taking one Shouyou’s hands to press kisses along each knuckle, “It’s just that I _still_ can’t wrap my head around the fact that you _actually_ like me. I pined after you for a really long time— so it’s weird. I’m happy though. And I know I sound like a wiener saying this but I’m surprised everyday that I like, get to kiss you and stuff.”  
  
Shouyou barks out a laugh and Kei’s face only gets redder, so he shields his face behind Shouyou’s hand that he’s holding. “Haha wiener,” the redhead cackles and pauses to breathe (which has Kei rolling his eyes), “We talked about this— we pined after each other for about the same amount of time. You act like you had some one-sided love and that I’m just graciously smiling down on you or something but I’m as into you as you are into me, dummy.”  
  
“Okay, you’re kinda right,” Kei sighs, “Alright, then tell me things that you like about me.”  
  
“It’s not your birthday yet though,” Shouyou grins, “Wait til then.”  
  


* * *

When Kei wakes up on the morning of his birthday, he’s surprised to find that the space next to him isn’t empty. Instead, Hinata is laying there across from him and looking right at him, his glasses a little bit askew by the way he’s laying on his side.  
  
“Finally you’re up! I’ve been up for like an hour now waiting for you,” Shouyou beams at him and Kei thinks that he isn’t awake enough to be dealing with direct sunlight right now.  
  
“I’m up,” Kei groans, grabbing his glasses from the nightstand and sliding them over his face.  
  
Once Kei is semi-coherent, Shouyou leaps up from under the covers to straddle him, shoving an ‘ _oof_ ’ out of the poor blonde’s chest. “Happy birthday, baby,” the redhead grins before leaning down to kiss him silly.  
  
They share a couple kisses before Kei is pulling away. “Bleh, morning breath,” he complains but can’t do much to hide his all too satisfied smile with the way Shouyou is holding both his hands and pinning them by his head.  
  
“You love it,” Shouyou snorts before climbing off of his boyfriend to let him get up.  
  
They get ready for their day together in the bathroom, brushing their teeth in front of the sink while making funny faces at each other through the mirror, then hopping into the shower together and washing each other’s hair and trading quick kisses under the running water. Kei is positively buzzing because _it’s his birthday_ and Shouyou is really here with him. He really didn’t care much for his birthday in the past but now he was considering making it into a new holiday with the way he was feeling.  
  
There’s not much to do before the small party Kei had planned at his apartment later that evening, so they could just laze around til then. Kei tries to help Shouyou cook breakfast but the redhead just sits him on the counter and tells him to just ‘look pretty for him’ while he cooks instead. They talk while Shouyou cooks— mostly about party preparations— and occasionally the shorter boy spoons some miso soup or fried rice into Kei’s mouth for him to taste test. Shouyou’s always been a good cook— what with having a much younger sister, and now living away from home— so the food tastes great.  
  
After breakfast and cleaning up (which included singing to Kei’s playlist while they washed and dried dishes), they did some adult colour books that Kei had received from his brother at some point and were gathering dust on his shelf, but had caught Shouyou’s attention. They sat across from each other on the floor of his living room while hunkered over the coffee table with Shouyou colouring the top half, and Kei colouring the bottom.  
  
“By the way, I’ll give you your birthday present later,” Shouyou murmurs while he focuses on colouring.  
  
“I thought your present was you coming here?”  
  
“Well there’s that, but I also have a present for later,”  
  
“Can I have it now?” Kei asks, his curiosity piqued. Although the highlight of Kei’s birthday last year was making out until the sun came up, Shouyou had also gotten him cute matching dinosaur slippers, and had baked him a cake, so the elder was a fantastic gift giver.  
  
“No,”  
  
“Is it a sex thing?” Kei mutters, not looking up from the table.  
  
“No,” Shouyou snorts, “I can just give that to you whenever and that’s kind of a cop-out, don’t you think?” Kei has a passing thought that any gift from Shouyou is something he’ll cherish forever, but he keeps it to himself.  
  
“Okay then what is it?” he pesters.  
  
“Just be patient, bonehead,” Shouyou knocks his pencil crayon against Kei’s hand to scold him, and the blonde breathes out a laugh, conceding finally.  
  
  
Later in the evening, their friends start arriving for dinner. Most of them (other than Tadashi, Tobio, and Hitoka) don’t know that Shouyou has come to visit, and they all know him from high school or the volleyball world, so they’re all exclaiming and hugging Kei’s boyfriend in excitement and Kei can’t help but smile at the sight of the redhead getting all the love and attention that he deserves. After most everyone has caught up with Shouyou, they’re greeting Kei happy birthday and giving Kei side-hugs (because they know how he is with touch that isn’t Tadashi’s or Shouyou’s) and he can admit to himself that he’s happy, and he likes this.  
  
There’s ten of them— five (including himself) from their group in high school, Kuroo (with Kenma in tow), Koganegawa, Kunimi, and Kindaichi— all huddled into Kei’s small kitchen and dining room. They’ve got pizza and chicken wings and everyone seems to be getting along well. While Kei chats with Kuroo and Tadashi, his gaze strays to the other side of the room where Shouyou is chatting with Kenma, who’s nodding along and nibbling at a piece of pizza.  
  
“So you must be happy that chibi-kun is here,” Kuroo muses, watching the two interact.  
  
“I am,” Kei smiles softly. Usually his interactions with Kuroo are filled with snark and petty comments, but right now he’s too happy to even come up with anything snooty to say back. “I’m really happy.”  
  
  
After they finish eating, they gather in the living room, exchanging stories about Kei to an eager Shouyou. Koganegawa talks about how on Shouyou’s birthday, the blonde was so sulky and out of it that he took a volleyball to the face during practice. Naturally, Shouyou cackles at the story and Kei grumbles but makes no move to stop his friends from embarrassing him— Shouyou was enjoying it so it was okay. Tadashi recounts his experience getting numerous texts from Kei about whether the outfit photo he was about to send to Shouyou was good enough. Then Kunimi talks about a frantic call he got from Kei at 11pm, asking him for synonyms for the words ‘pretty’ and ‘love’ while he composed a letter to send Shouyou. A small piece of Kei wishes for the Earth to swallow him up, or to be smote on the spot by a higher power, but with each story, Shouyou sidles closer to Kei and he gets to hear Shouyou’s giggle in his ear, so maybe it’s not so bad.  
  
At the end of the night, Kei’s friends hand off their gifts before heading out, leaving Shouyou and him alone.  
  
“Man, that was long,” Kei sighs, collapsing onto the couch.  
  
“You had fun though, right?” Shouyou asks, settling in beside him.  
  
“I did. It was a good birthday,”  
  
“Good,” Shouyou smiles, “So are you gonna open your gifts then?”  
  
“No, I want your gift now,” he leans his head against Shouyou’s to nudge him a little.  
  
“And here I was, thinking you forgot,” the redhead chuckles before pushing himself up off of the couch to retrieve the gift.  
  
When Shouyou comes back, he has a gift bag in hand but hesitates before handing it over. “Just— don’t judge it _too_ hard okay?” it’s the first time Shouyou’s looked shy or nervous about _anything_ since first year and it’s making Kei a little worried.  
  
“I’m not gonna judge, Shouyou,” Kei frowns— he would never— and holds a hand out for the birthday baggy.  
  
Gingerly, Shouyou hands the bag over and sits beside Kei on the couch to watch for his reaction. The bag has a little bit of heft to it, so Kei places it on the couch and and pulls the strawberry print tissue paper out and drops it to the floor. Inside, he can’t quite tell what they are but there’s four of them and they’re wooden and glazed and are each small enough for him to hold in one hand, but too large to fit in his palm. He places each of them on the coffee table, and it only takes a second for it to click.  
  
It’s hand-carved wooden figurines of his favourite dinosaurs; a T-Rex, Triceratops, Spinosaurus, and an Anklyosaurus. The Anklyosaurus is shaped a little weirdly, but he knows exactly what it is.  
  
“Did— did you make these yourself?” Kei asks, turning slowly to face Shouyou who’s face is hidden behind his hands, trying to cover his blush.  
  
“Y-yeah, is it that obvious?” Shouyou mutters, “I took up wood carving in Brazil a couple months ago and I thought it would be a cool gift for you, but I kind of messed up the Anklyosaurus, so you don’t have to keep that one if you don’t want— ”  
  
“Oh my god, I love you,” Kei breathes, surging forward to wrap Shouyou in a hug, successfully cutting off his nervous rambling, “I really like it...and I’m keeping the Anklyosaurus.”  
  
“You really like it? You’re not just saying that?” Shouyou pulls away a little to look at Kei head on, searching his eyes for any trace of a lie.  
  
In response, Kei leans forward to press his forehead against the redhead’s, “I really _really_ like it. This gift is awesome.” Kei can’t imagine the time and patience that had to had gone into this gift, and also how difficult it would’ve been for Shouyou to keep something this cool to himself— he usually told Kei anything and everything about what was going on in his life.  
  
“I’m glad,” Shouyou sighs, finally managing a smile, “Now can I get a reward kiss for my efforts?”  
  


* * *

The next week, Kei begrudgingly has to return to school. He’d rather be spending time with Shouyou but there’s not much to be done about it.  
  
Although it was mostly a joke, when Kei goes to his classes, Shouyou really is like a house husband. Because Kei doesn’t have any early classes this semester, he still sleeps in a little, and Shouyou will wake him up with a kiss when he has to go. Also, since Kei lives a good twenty minutes from the university on foot, Shouyou brings him lunch and eats with him. At first, Kei insists that Shouyou doesn’t need to come all that way every time, but the redhead tells him easily, “I flew all the way over here, so a twenty minute walk is nothing!” From Shouyou, it sounds like such a simple thing. Kei stops fussing after he hears this though because he _does_ enjoy the home-cooked meals from his boyfriend, and spending the time with him at school always brightens his day.  
  
On one day, some of Kei’s college friend’s chance upon Kei eating with Shouyou— an unfamiliar face to them— in the campus’ common area and sidle up easily with prodding statements of, “Who’s this, Tsukishima-kun?” and ”A lover perhaps?“ and ”No way, he’s too cute!“  
  
“I’m his boyfriend!” Shouyou beams at them and Kei feels his a little pride swirl in his chest. They all exchange pleasantries, and then are soon on their way.  
  
“So you’re like my trophy boyfriend now, huh?” Kei snorts.  
  
“I don’t mind,” he grins back.  
  
  
On another day after class, Kei does his chemistry homework in the kitchen while Shouyou bakes a cake for fun. Usually Kei does his homework in the confines of his room, but he enjoys the smell of baking and the pretty humming coming from his even prettier boyfriend.  
  
After some time, Kei can feel Shouyou’s eyes on him while the redhead waits for his cake to finish in the oven.  
  
“What’r you staring at?” Kei asks, not looking up from his work.  
  
Suddenly, Shouyou is right over his shoulder, looking down at his homework. “I don’t know how you get this stuff. My pretty Kei is so smart,” Shouyou cooes into his ear before pressing a kiss to his temple.  
  
“S’nothing,” he sniffs, trying to will his blush away.  
  


* * *

Before Kei knows it, the dreaded day arrives— the day Shouyou has to go back. They spent last night packing up the older boy’s stuff, but other than that, they tried their best not to discuss it too much because it got both of them down. But now Shouyou is set to leave in a couple of hours and Kei’s heart is settled into his stomach.  
  
“I’m not gonna be gone forever,” Shouyou mumbles against Kei’s lips as both of them lay on the couch, trying to take in as much of each other as possible.  
  
“I know,” Kei sighs, then kisses him for what must be the hundredth time in the last ten minutes, “I just can’t believe I have to wait another year to see you again. I really might die.”  
  
Shouyou looks at him sullenly, “Well— ”  
  
“No, we’re not breaking up,” Kei says pointedly, frowning at him. Shouyou smiles at him guiltily— caught.  
  
“Okay, I understand,” Shouyou’s fingers card through Kei’s hair, and Kei never wants to forget the feeling, “Just know that when I come back, you won’t be able to get rid of me.”  
  
Kei rolls his eyes, “As if I’d want that.” The statement gives him some hope though. He lasted a year before, he could take one more. Especially if what was promised at the end of the road was a lifetime with Shouyou. That would be well worth it. He can’t wait to live a life with Shouyou— to fall asleep and wake up together, to talk about mundane things over breakfast, then go their separate ways during the day, only to come home to each other and recount their days over dinner. He can’t wait to go to Shouyou’s games and cheer him on when he indubitably breaks into the pro-volleyball league. He can’t wait to take care of Shouyou as much as the redhead as taken care of him— to repay even a fraction of what he owed to Shouyou. He can’t wait to learn every new thing there is to learn about Shouyou. He can’t wait to fall more and more in love with this boy.  
  
It’ll be worth it.  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading !! ♡ hope u enjoyed !! please leave a kudo/comment if u did hehe


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